Peace Corps informational meeting to take place at ACU

Abilene Christian University will serve as host for a Peace Corps informational meeting open to anyone in Abilene and the surrounding area July 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Mabee Library Auditorium.

The meeting will offer general information for anyone interested and will last until approximately 8:30 p.m.

In the past, ACU has been an e-recuriting school and all recruiting was done on the Internet, but the Peace Corps has now decided to present informational meetings in person at ACU, said James Barta, Peace Corps recruiter and graduate of Hardin-Simmons University.

The Peace Corps trains Americans to serve as volunteers in nations across the world and is especially relevant in today's society, Barta said.

"Peace Corps is as important as it ever was in this day and age. Peace Corps is about learning more than it is about teaching. It is about learning about other people around the world, and them learning about us," Barta said. "Many of the current outstanding leaders in the interim government in Afghanistan were taught or affected by Peace Corps Volunteers. They are the ones who can lead that country out of its downward spiral of pain and suffering into a future of hope and limitless possibilities."

ACU students have always been interested in the Peace Corps. Since 1961, 44 graduates from ACU have joined Peace Corps, and today two alumni are serving and two current applicants have received invitations.

Jen (Floyd, '97) and Jeremy Haile ('97) have served as Peace Corps volunteers in Armenia since June 2000. Jen is a consultant to small enterprises and has taught business classes at a local university. Jeremy teaches English as a foreign language and edits the Peace Corps Armenia monthly journal.

Since 1961, 165,000 Americans have served in more 135 countries since President John F. Kennedy signed the executive order creating the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961. Today Peace Corps has 7,000 Volunteers in 70 nations, developing self-sustaining projects in education, business, health, environment and agriculture.

In addition, since Sept. 11, more than 34 countries have invited Peace Corps to start programs in their communities.